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    Either-Or

    3.8 (94 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Either-Or Photos

    Business Info

    EITHER-OR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Lunch special: 1/2 pork sandwich  + side of broccolini and fries  & their watermelon margarita
    Catrin W.

    New to the area and found a good lunch spot! My boyfriend and I were seated quickly and all of the staff members were very nice. We sat outside, where there's also a play area for kids. We both ordered the weekday $16 lunch special, where you get half a sandwich and choose two sides. We chose the either or burger and the pork sandwich. For sides we both chose the broccolini and fries. They also have lots of vegan and vegetarian options! Their food was okay, recommend coming here for drinks with a group.

    Cesar chicken salad sandwich
    Dawn M.

    Dinner for 3, on a week night to celebrate a birthday. It was really odd that when ordering an entree item, of which the list is limited already, that they we were out and a second disappointment is that they DO NOT RECOGNIZE BIRTHDAYS. Our server was short in the area of friendly service and not willing to discuss menu items or even make suggestions. He was visibly irritated when we ordered cocktails and were not interested in appetizers even after telling him twice that we were waiting on a third. Fried bologna sandwich was surprisingly tasty and not salty, as expected. The chicken sandwich is mid and the Pork Ragu was bland.

    Fresh tart
    Marianne H.

    We dropped in after a volleyball match for a late lunch/brunch. So glad we did. We were immediate seated and our server was prompt to get us drinks. They had good movies playing and the NFL playoff coverage which entertained my whole group. Food was good and the atmosphere was fun and comfortable. Can't want to get back during the warmer weather. Food prices were higher then I expected but will still returned a little more prepared.

    Christina W.

    Either/Or... Can't decide. Interesting concept of a family friendly restaurant...kinda like a mullet. You know:fancy in the front, kid party in the back. Their parking lot is a little small so it was challenging finding parking in the road or the lot. Walking in looked inviting and classy. A bachelorette party was about to get started. DEFINITELY attracts a ladies night. We had a seat within 20 min. Food was good and pretty basic. Ordered 2 burgers (looked like a smash burger), mozzarella sticks, brussel sprouts, salmon dish, kids chicken tenders, kids grilled cheese. Everything was normal and as expected. Nothing extraordinary but also not bad. Service was fine, mediocre. Something was lacking but we couldn't put our finger on it. Environment is loud with kids playing but that was expected. There were plenty of kids running around outside and playing. The naturescape was attractive to toddler age. My kids are older but decided to go play with little kids. Lots of parents out there enjoying their drinks and non-socializing. I couldn't decide if this place was for the kids or for the adults. I also couldn't decide if this was my type of place to chill with a good drink or go opposite and feel like I was going crazy with all the kids and noise. Maybe that's why they settled on the name Either/Or... I guess it was a mid level visit. No complaints. It was just vanilla.

    Flan
    Jenn R.

    Got a last minute late dinner and was so impressed. Service was excellent, very attentive and friendly. Love the outdoor seating and playground area for families. Great drink selection and pretty decor. The food was very pleasant to the palate, remarkably complemented sides. Definitely plan to go back soon.

    Lua burger
    Jessica R.

    I'm having a newfound obsession with beet salads. I can't stop making them at home, and I can't stop looking for them on menus. This lunch was no exception, and it was another wonderful beet salad! Something about the combination of arugula, feta and beets, and I just can't stop devouring it all. Anyone else? Where are your favorite beet salads around? I also love Biaggi's beet salad, but where else? Anyhow, Either/Or had a beet salad that I had to order. All the good "stuff" was at the bottom, upon arrival, so we did have to give it a good mixup, and then it was go time. The fresh cucumbers were a nice addition, kept it light and crispy. Vinaigrette was absolutely perfect. I loved it, could totally turn this into a meal next time. We got one Lua burger, and one porchetta sandwich. Both excellent! Lua Burger: two patties, fried onions, cheese, Lua sauce (similar to a big mac sauce) and pickle. It was very much like an elevated big Mac in flavor, but way better! Side of fries were hot and delicious. Porchetta Sandwich: I wasn't crazy about this one, I felt like the whole sandwich was a little dry. The focaccia bread had excellent seasonings and flavor, and the Porchetta was very good when I pulled it off the bread and took a bite. It just felt like it was missing...something. Or maybe I was just too obsessed with the beet salad to care about anything else! Also served with hot, delicious french fries. I will say they have the GOOD ranch, for those who care (like me), and the hot french fries dipped in their amazing ranch dressing was definitely a highlight. We sat at a bar table, excellent service all around; a great little lunch spot! -- at Either/Or.

    Salmon Salad!
    MaryAnn S.

    Ordered the Salmon Salad full of colorful greens, chick peas, diced celery and delicious salmon bites draped with a capsule of vinaigrette. Taylor was very attentive to her customers. The overall atmosphere was relaxing.

    Ham & Cheese w/ fries
    Todd B.

    4.0* (out of 5) Food: 3* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 4* 04/05/2024 I've been wanting to get to Either-Or for some time since reading about their opening in the Des Moines Register. The exterior and interior of the building are impressive and deserving of a 5* rating (see pictures) - enhanced by the expansive open patio area. There is definitely excitement in the air and the whole place seems quite energetic and lively - welcoming to all age groups. There is an extensive collection of craft tap beers, especially from Lua (see menu and picture of bar). I also found the Value and Service to be above average. On the food side, both my wife and I were disappointed given our expectations. I ordered the Chicken Katsu with beet soup (see picture) and my wife ordered the Korean Philly with salad (see picture). Our daughter-in-law ordered the Ham & Cheese w/ fries (see picture). Our daughter-in-law liked the Ham & Cheese and both my wife and I tried and liked the fries. Being a beet fan, I also liked the beet soup. What really brough my rating down to average for the food though was the Chicken Katsu and Korean Philly sandwiches - and for opposite reasons. We found the Chicken Katsu to be near flavorless, with very little seasoning. On the other hand, both my wife and myself had the same reaction after our first bite of the Korean Philly sandwich - the strength of the salty flavor created an initial thought of "there is no way we can finish this sandwich". We finished most of our meals, but I would not recommend either the Chicken Katsu or the Korean Philly sandwich and would not order it again if we return to the restaurant. That is disappointing to report and is a rarity in all of my hundreds of reviews, but I want to provide transparent reviews to help you make good dining decisions. Spacious, modern and lively atmosphere with a great selection of craft beers on tap, but the food still needs some work. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Adrienne N.

    Food: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 10/10 Cost: 6/10 Overall: 9/10 The super fun and trendy sister restaurant to Lua Brewing! The interior inside is sooo cute with plenty of seating either inside or on the patio. service-wise, all of the staff were super awesome and friendly. We even came in a huge group and they were still very attentative and helpful with all of our questions. I'm a huge fan of Lua, so it's no surprise the beer menu is pretty solid and has some of the best Lua options. Food-wise, it's pretty good. I liked their E/O burger (seems like it'll switch) and their Lua burger (their smash burger with pickles and a nice tangy sauce). I will admit it's on the pricier side, but they just opened so I'm hoping there'll be a value or lunch menu to be added soon. I definitely recommend you check it out!!

    Mexican cheese curds!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Such a great new addition to Des Moines! Super cute and very spacious. The cheese curds are soooo amazing I would recommend 100%.

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    2 years ago

    Best burger in town. Chicken sandwich is also good. Beautiful restaurant. Good beer. Definitely recommend

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    2 years ago

    Love the outdoors play area for kids and the heated areas outside. Food was very good

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    3 years ago

    Lunch: Food above average. Hard to have a conversation at a table for six with the music blaring.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food, excellent service, in a wonderful atmosphere! The tap selection is also great!

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    3 years ago

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    Hansen's Manhattan Deli - The Vito

    Hansen's Manhattan Deli

    4.4(171 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    Will be back for sure Best sandwich in a long time…read moreNo skimping on meat At a lot of sandwich places, I tend to order double meat. Just too much bread in proportion to meat at most places. No need to double up here. The Betty's was thick and juicy. Perfect proportion of bread to meat. Was somewhat reminiscent of a Cuban with mustard and pickles. Very light, almost falling apart bagel. Delicious! Best sandwich I have had outside of the actual Manhattan!

    As a New Yorker, this is the closest thing I can find in Des Moines that's like grabbing a sandwich…read morefrom my bodega down the block. They've got wide selections of sandwiches and honestly, you can't go wrong with any of them. The Manhattan is my go-to (Corned Beef, Ham, Salami, Coleslaw & Swiss with Mustard, Mayo & Pickle on an Onion Bun) but I always sub the onion bun out for a hero bun. Every flavor works well with each other, the coleslaw is sweet and contrasts well with the saltiness of the meats, the crunch from the pickle, and finally the mustard cuts into all of them for a beautiful clash of senses in your mouth. Other sandwich pictured is their Tuesday, it's a daily special sandwich you can get on any day. The special pricing won't apply if you get it on another day obviously. The Tuesday was hearty and the cheese on top of it was seasoned well. The peanut butter brownie, very decadent! I don't even like brownies but I always try to snag this one whenever I'm here! Service here is always prompt and helpful. The ambiance does a great job at pulling on the community aspect you feel at your local corner store in NYC.

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    Hansen's Manhattan Deli - You wait in line to order & then they call your name for your completed order.

    You wait in line to order & then they call your name for your completed order.

    Hansen's Manhattan Deli - A Pile of Delicious Roast Beef, Cheddar & Provolone!

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    Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Supper Club - French Onion Soup

    Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Supper Club

    4.0(26 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    SODIUM LOVERS REJOICE…read more Let me start by saying: I love sodium. Salty food, salty snacks - give me savory and spicy over sweet any day. Our kids (who joined us for dinner) are the same way. My husband...not so much. He grew up not salting his food and is way more sensitive to it than the rest of us (honestly, it's impressive restraint since we all love salt!). Thus, this place wasn't really for him. We kicked things off next door at the other bar, opposite side of the basement from the speak easy. Val Air is through the main doors, and at the south east side of the building is a small, green door. It's easy to miss (blink-and-you'll-past-it), but that is how you get downstairs. When you walk downstairs, you can go left to the speakeasy or right to a bar. I ordered a red wine and was handed a rocks glass of rosé - loved the rocks glass but not the rosé. When I inquired, the bartender said that was the only version of red wine he had. We decided to head to the speakeasy bar next door but not before my husband got charged $12 for the untouched rosé I didn't order. Not exactly the warmest start. The speakeasy bar, though? Fantastic. The bartenders were charismatic, fun, and gave us solid food recommendations. We hung out there for about 45 minutes waiting on one of the kids to arrive, and the piano player behind us was fantastic. Really loved the vibe (honestly could've stayed at the bar all night and called it a win). Once seated at our table, our server greeted us quickly, but table service was average. Relish Tray: Big fan. A mix of pickled goodies - olives, beets, golden beets - plus fresh radishes and cucumbers. And two very tasty deviled eggs that were very salty and very mustardy (so basically perfect). Bread service: Sliced bread with oil & balsamic. Bread wasn't soft (which is more my preference), but the kids were all about the hard bread. French Onion and White Fish Chowda: I LOVED BOTH. The French onion was aggressively salty but absolutely divine - I'd go back just for this. The chowda was also great. If they had a third soup, I'd be ordering a soup flight as my meal (no shame). Only note: potato chunks in the chowda were a bit too big and took over like they paid rent in the cup. Fried Walleye: Ordered to share and everyone loved it. Yes, salty - but the carrot purée balanced things nicely. Honestly, is it even a Midwest supper club without fried fish? Chicken Tagliatelle: I love wide noodles - chewy, substantial, and not the skinny kind. This leaned more fettuccine-sized, but we were told it's house-made, so I was all in. Salt level? Pucker-up intense. Still, the flavor was good. Broccolini had a slightly pickled vibe (adding even more saltiness to the experience), and I would've preferred the green olives sliced. Capers were minimal (sad face) and the chicken was the lone neutral party in a salted world. Skin-on roasted breast meat - not typical for pasta, but I liked the switch-up. Prime Rib French Dip: Massive stack of shaved prime rib. Kind of surprising there wasn't just straight-up prime rib on the menu, another go to of mine. Sandwich was solid, and yes - the au jus was very salty. My husband skipped dipping entirely (a decision I cannot relate to). We took half home, and I fully intend to demolish that au jus later this weekend. Shoestring onion rings were an awesome side, and very well salted! Pork Belly: This was excellent. Thick cut, crispy outside, buttery inside - just right. The sweet potato purée paired beautifully. Only miss: lima beans. None of us thought they belonged (felt like they crashed the party). The broccolini was nice, but skimpy. Filet: Really enjoyed this - felt more like a tenderloin cut than a classic tapered filet. Whipped potatoes were . We had a mini deburgo debate at the table, but the sauce was great (my husband confused deburgo with stroganoff - we'll let it slide). And yes, salt made another strong appearance (including a generous sprinkle on top, just in case you forgot where you were). Chocolate Mousse: A lovely whipped mousse...topped with yes...more coarse salt. By this point, we were all deep into water-chugging mode and a bit dehydrated. Water became the real dessert. Once we got past the salt, the mousse itself was very good. We'd definitely go back for select dishes - and probably sit at the speakeasy bar. That experience was noticeably better. Now that we know what we're getting into, we'd just ask for less salt next time (or bring a gallon of water and embrace the Seabiscuit + saltblock lifestyle). ~$325 including bar tab, pre-gratuity.

    Our never-ending quest to seek new and unique dining experiences took us to Tom Archer's for a…read morefamily dinner, and it was a superb experience. Great parking situation led to a positive greeting at the downstairs club, and began a memorable visit. Our server, Brooklyn, was amazing, adding a personal element to her role that made us all more comfortable and informed about our menu decisions. Her personality and awareness rocked. This isn't your usual dining visit or venue. Brilliant decorating, highlighted by old-school wood paneling that might remind you of your grandmother's home, sets the tone. Softer lighting still allows for reading. Loved the historic photos that rim the interior, celebrating the Big Band Era, which Tom Archer was a part of. Piano player throughout our meal, yet at a volume that added rather than interrupted. The menu is creative, varied, and flexible. Began with a bread dish that included a unique, delicious carrot butter. My salad appetizer was full of fresh taste. Absolutely loved my Chicken Pot Pie, a yummy, flaky crust and tasty insides. Oh my, the bar on pot pies was elevated! Enjoyed the Chocolate Mousse dessert! A fun and relaxing meal that exceeded our expectations, thanks for getting it right!

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    Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Supper Club - Bar

    Bar

    Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Supper Club - Spinach artichoke dip

    Spinach artichoke dip

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    Jersey Mike's Subs

    Jersey Mike's Subs

    3.4(35 reviews)
    3.7 mi

    My sister and I came to visit my mother in Des Moines and we decided we wanted Jersey Mikes for…read moredinner. Tonight has been my worst experience by far at any food place I have ever been to. We placed our order through the app as of 5:16pm. It said it would be ready by 5:30pm. I know it takes longer to make gluten free sandwiches because they have to clean the grill so I did not arrive until 5:45pm to pick up my food. When I got there hardly any customers were in the store. 2 people were in line to order and 2 people were standing waiting for doordash. I ended up waiting a few moments before asking if my order was ready around 5:50pm. They checked and found it had not even been started yet and that it was quite a few tickets behind the others for the grill. I was told it would be about 10 minutes by the kid who was working the register. The kid then went to check if he had told me correct by the guy on the grill. The guy went to check my ticket and started laughing saying, "yeah good luck with that. It's got gluten free. Its gonna be awhile." He then proceeded to make 8 sandwiches and none of them were mine. I had doordash drivers and other online pickup customers come in after me who received there food before me. I watched the guy on the grill move tickets that were behind mine forward. Someone obviously made a conscious decision not to fill my order in a timely manner because of the gluten free sandwiches. At 6:05pm I watched the guy on the grill finally start cleaning the grill. By 6:10pm he started making 2 gluten free sandwiches. And did not pay attention to the fact that #65 was not supposed to have jalepenos and yet seem to have a ton of them on the sandwich. By 6:21pm all sandwiches were done. The manager (Jasmine) tried to hand a cookie off to me and another customer who had been waiting almost as long as me. But considering I cannot eat it nor does that make up for waiting nearly an hour from the time my food was supposed to be ready I did not want it. The manager seemed to have a chip on her shoulder and kept throwing hateful looks towards my mother and me after we would not accept her offer. She then went back behind the counter pulled out her phone, messed with it for a bit then pulled some vouchers out. She offered us 2 of them for our 3 sandwiches. My mother would have accepted it as is if there would have been an apology attached with it. There was not. She thought it was more reasonable to have 3 vouchers since our order was for 3 sandwiches and the manager disagreed. All sandwiches were put in the same bag. I specifically put special instructions on my order for the gluten free sandwiches to be put in a seperate bag. I have never had any trouble with this at any other store. The manager said, "We don't do that." I explained that I have asked at other stores and had no problem. I was then told by the manager "Well you don't have to come here. You can go to another store. And you can leave." I feel like this was a personal attack and discriminatory against me due to my food allergies and I do not appreciate it. I was not asking for anything special just for the considerations that I know are in place by this company. Jersey Mike's as a company has practices in place to accommodate customers with food allergies but this employee seems to have decided to not provide your typical great service because of it.

    My sandwich maker was flipping raw beef and switched to making my sandwich without changing gloves…read more I didn't think much of it until I got sick around 8 hours after my meal

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    Jersey Mike's Subs
    Jersey Mike's Subs
    Jersey Mike's Subs

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    Cooper's on 5th - Cajun Meatloaf

    Cooper's on 5th

    4.5(224 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    It's lunch and now you find yourself driving toward that icon spot of Cooper's on 5th in Valley…read moreJunction to savor that delicious Cajun Meatloaf Meltdown Sandwich- Simply Delicious. My only issue is food temperature---while served eye appealing it was just warm -- work on food temperature control -- the sweet potato fries were awesome and the egg rolls with barbecue sauce and sausage were solid. Jeffrey -- my wait staffer-- bar mixologist-- made me a Lavender Lemonade Mocktail and it was every bit as good as a "Mr Pibbs." The soft music cascading in the background provided the serene feeling to allow me to play message catch up by iPhone and a tab, or utilize the quiet spot to socialize with great company. This space gives you a choice for fun socialization.

    It's been 3 years since I last reviewed here, but it's still one of our regular stops and doesn't…read moredissapoint! Intimate, dark atmosphere inside, and brighter (and often warmer!) out back on the patio. Meatloaf and Salmon entrees are regulars for us, but we've tried almost every sandwich and many of the other entrees, and they are always full of flavor and delicious. Salads are fresh and have very good quality lettuce and veggies. Dressings are good as well. Small bar with drop in seating, but it pays to get a reservation. They currently use Toast to take reservations and you'll get a reminder the day prior to your visit. Walk in's often find it challenging to squeeze in here! Service is always good and the bartenders make a good drink.

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    Cooper's on 5th - Limited seating

    Limited seating

    Cooper's on 5th
    Cooper's on 5th

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    Either-Or - salad - Updated May 2026

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